What to do when you wake up with a dull complexion or dehydrated skin that makes wrinkles and small expression lines even more visible? It will be due to big binges, disturbed sleep, pollution or sudden changes in temperature, but by now the damage has been done and therefore we must run for cover. Today we offer a first aid treatment for the skin, but which can also become a beauty routine to be performed once a week, to ensure a softer, smoother, more luminous skin with a homogeneous complexion. And the beauty is that the ingredients for this treatment are very easy to find, at any time, just by going… to the kitchen. Do you know that overripe pear that no one eats anymore? Or that apple that sits in a corner of the fruit bowl? Well now is the time to use them. So let's see the properties of the ingredients that we will use for this treatment and then the steps to create a real spa at home.
Cosmetic properties of apples and pears
The apple, pulp and peel, is a precious source of antioxidants, which counteract the aging processes and the damage of UV rays and promote skin regeneration (Mintie et al, Transl Oncol, 2020). Apple extracts have also proved useful in improving the degree of skin hydration (Stojiljković et al, J Cosmet Dermatol, 2022). Then, the apple contains malic acid, which is an exfoliating agent, capable of making the skin brighter, smoother, with a more homogeneous color and also of counteracting some conditions such as dermatitis (Lee et al, Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol, 2019). The pear has a powerful anti-inflammatory action, useful in case of irritation, acne and dermatitis (You et al, Nutr Res Pract., 2022). Not only that, pears are antioxidants and treatments based on their pulp improve the color of the complexion, stimulate skin renewal and rejuvenation processes, make the skin elastic and hydrated and counteract dark spots (Michalak et al, Nutrients, 2021 - Khiljee et al, Pak J Pharm Sci, 2019).
Shock treatment for a luminous complexion, even after the holidays
Start the treatment with a steam bath for the face. This helps to open the pores, thus counteracting blackheads and pimples, and to strengthen the skin barrier, making it better able to protect the skin and retain hydration (Kwatzki et al, Dermatology, 2008). Bring a saucepan full of water to a boil. At this point you can add a spoonful of herbs to make the treatment even more effective. For example, chamomile helps in case of irritations and sensitive skin, rosemary is excellent in case of acne since it is antibacterial, while thyme is anti-aging (Nieto et al, Medicines, 2018). Remove the saucepan from the heat, wait a minute and then expose your face to the steam, holding a towel over your head. Stay like this for 5-10 minutes. Then, gently apply the fruit mask on your face. To prepare the mask, wash an apple and a pear, remove only the seeds and the hardest parts but leave the peel. Blend the apple and pear until you get a paste. Apply to the face by massaging for one minute, then leave on for ten minutes. After this time, rinse, spray a hydrosol and complete with a few drops of serum oil and/or face cream.
